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Miles Family History

Miles Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English (Old French) personal name Mile + genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s or from its other Old French form Miles, a derivative of ancient Germanic Milo based on the element mil from mel ‘good generous’. The Old French oblique case form was Milon (see Milon). Compare Millen and Millson.

English: variant with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s of Myhill from a vernacular form of the Biblical name Michael. Miles Coverdale, the translator of the Bible, when in Germany, called himself Michael Anglus (‘the Englishman’).

Irish (Louth and Kilkenny): when not the same as 1 or 2, it is sometimes an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maolmhuire (see Myles).

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): patronymic from the Yiddish personal name Mile, a diminutive of Yerachmiel, a variant of Biblical Yerachmel (1 Chronicles). It is formed with the Yiddish possessive -s. Americanized form of some original Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname.

German: variant of Miels, a patronymic from Miele.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Miles family from?

You can see how Miles families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Miles family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Miles families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,891 Miles families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Miles's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Miles families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Miles surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Miles ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Miles. 6% of Miles men worked as a General Labourer and 65% of Miles women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Miles were Builders Labourer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Miles | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    65%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Miles family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 712,000 census records available for the last name Miles. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Miles census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Miles

Passenger Lists

There are 56,000 immigration records available for the last name Miles. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Miles immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 213,000 military records available for the last name Miles. For the veterans among your Miles ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Miles family history

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What is the average Miles lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Miles life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Miles in 1941 was 33, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Miles

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Miles ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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